Flavored Liquor Accounts for More Than a Quarter of Spirit Sales

Flavored whiskey takes the cake for the most popular of liquors in 2013

Do you reach for flavored liquor when you hit up the the liquor store? You’re not the only one. Restaurant Sciences LLC reported that the sales of flavored spirits are on the rise; as of this year, flavored liquors make up 27.5 percent of all “on-premise sport sales.”

The firm, which tracks product sales in the food and beverage industry in, analyzed more than four million guest checks, and concluded that although the sales of flavored cordials and liqueurs declined, flavored blended whiskey doubled in sales this year. Flavored vodkas, on the other hand, hit their peak in 2012, and then declined from 8.8 percent to 8.1 percent of on-premise sales by the second quarter of 2013.

Restaurant Sciences study coincides with the overall trend of consumers looking for fruity flavor in their alcohol. Flavored liquor is making its mark around the world, from Brazil to Thailand; spirits, low-alcohol drinks, and wine are all incorporating fruity flavors into their character. So before you know it, Fireball may just be the most popular whiskey at the bar.